1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to jewelry, and more specifically to a jewelry forming article which can be arranged into a number of different jewelry objects by manipulation of the engagement between a free body fabricated from magnetized material and a free length of chain.
2. Background Information
It is often desired to be able to change the style of a piece of jewelry. A wearer may become bored having a single, unchangeable piece of jewelry, or may desire to have a versatile piece of jewelry which can be modified according to dress or occasion. Alternatively, the wearer might desire to change the type of jewelry to match the style, preferring a necklace to a bracelet without the purchase of separate jewelry to achieve these fashion goals.
Several devices that allow for the removal and replacement of ornaments from jewelry are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 439,139 to Gaynor describes a setting for coins to be worn as a pin or brooch. U.S. Pat. No. 690,095 to Bleaden teaches a ring having a removable stone and a sliding door that fits behind the stone and secures it to the ring. U.S. Pat. No. 1,182,534 to Driggott describes a gem setting for a ring.
While these devices allow for removable and replaceable ornaments (coins, stones, gems, etc.), none of them allow the type of jewelry to be changed. Typical in the art are bands which can be modified to form different types of jewelry objects such as bracelets, watches, collars, anklets, and the like. These devices employ various mechanical means to achieve the desired band circumferences. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,508,147. Such devices have the disadvantage of being mechanically complex, and thus, prone to failure.
Magnetism has been used to overcome some of the problems typically associated with mechanical means for adjustment. For example, Quintel (U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,582) describes an adjustable band which allows for adjustment of band circumference using magnets. Further, Hartgrove (U.S. Pat. No. 6,715,315) discloses interchangeable settings for various body portions of jewelry such as ring composites.
However, these and other devices require the magnetized component of the device to be integral within either the body of the jewelry itself or to serve simply as a clasping means to hold together various components that make up the jewelry device (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,159 or JP2002142820).
These inventions then, while making exchange of magnetically attachable ornamental pieces or providing a means to replace mechanically dependent variations in length or circumference, do not provide the versatility to change a jewelry object from a necklace to a ring or vice versa. In other words, the wearer is limited basically to the same jewelry object.